Improvement in car-brakes



S. (i. HDWE.

' Car-Brake.

No.l"62,556. Patented Apri127,1a15.

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THE GRAPHIC C0,PNOT0-LITH.39&41 PARK PLACLPLY.

UNITED STATES SOLGN G. HOVE, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO HIB/[SELF lAND JAMES W. CHENEY, OF SAME PLAGE.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR=BRAKES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l $2,556, dated April 27, 1875 application tiled February 20 1575.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it knownfthat I, SoLoN G. Hown, of Detroit, Wayne county, Michigan, have i11- vented a new and Improved Car-Brake, of which the following is a specification:

Figure l represents a top view of my irnproved car-brake as applied to the axles ot' a street-car. Fig. 2 is'a detail top view of the brake, with parts broken off to show wedgebail; and Figs. 3 and 4 are, respectively, vertical, longitudinal, and transverse sections of the brake, on the lines c c and v w, Fig. 2,

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The invention relates to improvements in that class of car-brakes in which the friction is applied to the axle instead of the circumference of the wheels, so that the unequal wear of the wheels and axles is avoided, and great power exerted with little action of the brakehandle, for stopping quickly and effectively the car, the whole brake being easily arranged and adjusted, and reliable, simple, and dura-' ble in application.

The invention consists, mainly, of double friction-cones, which are placed on the axles, and carried, by the action of a wedge-bail on frictionrollers of the cones, against correspondin g double shells keyed fast to the axles. The friction-cones are applied by the wedgebail, and released by spring-braces, both neing operated by intermediate rods and leverconnection from the hand-wheels at the ends of the car. The axle is lubricated through perforations of the center pins of the frictionrollers, and the cones are secured in their regular position and motion on the axle by a stationary projecting pin of the axle entering annular grooves of the cone-hubs. The springbraces" are attached to the upper and lower part of each cone, and secured to their leverconnecting rods by wedge-shaped blocks with binding side ridges or ribs, by which the constant strain exerted on the cones, to withdraw them from the shells, is increased.

In the drawing, A represents the axles of a street or other car, to which are keyed, syminetrically to the longitudinal axis ofthe car, two shells, B. Inside of the same, and sliding on the axle, are arranged two friction-cones, C,

which are fitted accurately inside ot' the shells, the friction ot the cones and shells being increased by leather lining applied to either cone or shell with rivets, glue, or cement. The friction-cones C are operated by means ot' a wedge-bail, D, for being forced against the shells, and by spring-braces, E, which are attached to the upper and lower parts of the cones, for releasing them from the shells at the instant when the action ofthe wedge-bail is discontinued. The wedge-bail D and springbraces E are connected by rods D and El, which are provided with right and left hand screw-threads and jam-nuts, for being readily adjusted in length to a centrally-fulcrumed lever, E, the bail-rods D of each axle being pivoted equidistant from the fulcruni of the lever, while the spring brace-rods are flrmly secured in sockets of the center lever-rest Il". The outer ends of the fulcrumed lever F are connected by rods and chains with the usual hand-wheels and ratchetshafts on the platforms at both ends of the car.

The turning of either hand-wheel produces the forward swinging of the lever, and the corresponding niotion of the, forked bails D, which act, by their wedge-shaped ends, on small friction-rollers a at the upper and lower part of each cone C. rlhe cones are thereby separated and forced against the shells, stopping the car quickly by the brake action produced thereby. On the release of the handwheel the spring action of the lever carries cones and lever back into the former position, and releases thereby the shells.

rlhe spring-brace rods El extend at each side of the center lever-rest F to the cones G-one to the upper, the other to the lower, part of the cones-each rod being supplied with two spring-braces, E, which are applied by fastening-screws to recesses formed by flanges or ridges at the sides of the wedge-shaped braceblock E2. The object ofthe tapering or wedgeshaped block E2 is to bring the outer ends of the spring-braces into closer proximity, and increase thereby the spring action ofthe same for the quicker withdrawing of the cones from the shells. rlhe outer ends of the springbraces E are iirmly applied by cross-pins b to lugs Z1 of the cones, at diametrically opposite each cone-hub, for the purpose of preventing the cones from Working together from side to side against the shells, and defining thereby the exact position on the axle until'forced 'against the shells by the brakeman.

Havingthus described my invention7 I claim as new and desire t0 secure by Letters Patentl. The car-brake constructed of double shells, keyed to the axle, and sliding frictioncones fitting therein, and to be operated by Wedge-bail and spring-braces with intermediate lever-connection from Jche brake-wheels of the car, all combined substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The sliding friction-cones, provided with frietion'rollers at upper and lower parts, in combination With the sliding Wedge-bail to act thereon, for pressing the levers against the shells, as set forth.

3. The combination of the center-pin of the upper friction-rollers of the cones, having oilohannel throughout its length, with the axle, for lubricating axle, cones, and rollers, substantially as described.

' 4. The spring-braces attached to tapering Spring-brace block, having binding side ilanges or ridges, all combined as set forth.

SOLON G. HOWE. Witnesses E. CHENEY, E. Z. GUILD. 

